Trip to Paris kid-book stuff for Madonna
September 16, 2003 - The Hollywood Reporter
PARIS—Madonna released her new children’s book, “The English Roses,” and confirmed at a Monday press conference here that she will be working on a film project in the coming year.
Pressed for more information on her upcoming film project, however, she only said, “I’ll tell you more at the next (press conference).”
The book’s release follows her highly publicized kisses with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at last month’s MTV Video Music Awards, which hearkened back to the star’s last major publishing effort, the erotic photo book “Sex.”
“(With ‘Sex’) I was at a point in my life where I was interested in pushing boundaries,” said the author. “I was interested in myself.
“Now,” she said, “I’m interested in children.”
“I would reassure (mothers) that everything in this book is appropriate for children of all ages,” said Nicholas Callaway, chairman and CEO of Callaway Arts & Entertainment, whose Callaway Editions published the book.
The hype surrounding “Roses” looks to be equal to that around the release of a new Madonna album, with about 1 million total copies in 30 languages being released simultaneously worldwide in more than 100 countries. Four more children’s books by the author are set to follow. The next installment, “Mr. Peabody’s Apples,” hits bookracks Nov. 10.
“Roses” has thus far received favorable reviews from critics and has scored well with marketing deals. The 400,000 first-run hardcover copies of the book in the United States were available for pre-order via Amazon.com and can now be found in retail stores such as Wal-Mart, Costco and Baby Gap.
